I*M an Ole GUY--Ole JIM--a Retired long haul Trucker--Hers some FACTS! I have Learned in my Life Time!--yrs Ago I trucked all over this Great Nation & hauled just about every thing there is to be Hauled!--heres an Example! of Marketing HYPE! I was waiting for a Load of Anti-Freeze! to Be Loaded on my Truck--it was Late & I had to Wait until Morning to Be Loaded!--so I was Walking around & looking at the Machinery as It Filled the Gallon containers--pretty Interesting!--& one of the Bosses asked ME if I would like a Tour of the Facility?--YEH! why Not?--& a Complete Tour I sure Got!--as I Saw many Brands being filled & Boxed Up ZEREX-PRESTONE-the High Dollar Brands-& PEAK-& other Low Buck Brands!--as I re-call even Back Then--ZEREX & PRESTONE were Selling at $11.25 a Gallon & PEAK which is what I was Using--Cost $3.25 a Gallon--& Heres the FACTS!--Its All the very Same Stuff!-- & the only Differance is the Coloring Added!--& the Brand Container its poured into--as Ethel Glyathol< correct Spelling?? is Colorless--as it looked like Kero Syrup to Me?--a Colorless thick Liquid thats Slipery to the Touch!--I Touched It-- its a By Product of OIL-- & Yrs Ago used to be Thrown Away!--so When? You BUY the the High Buck Brands that State theirs have special Additives that DO What Ever?-thats Their Marketing HYPE B/S! Plain & Sinple!--GASOLINE--yrs Ago during the Winter Mounths I hauled Fuel here in MAINE for Merril Transportation out of Portland,Maine so I*D be Close to Home Winters!--as a Lot of Crap usually happens in Winter!--& I didn*t want to Be 1000s of miles Away when What Ever went Wrong!--I had been Hauling Fuel for Merril for a few yrs--& got to Know every Body I had to Deal with!-Nice People- One Night I had just Loaded 3000 Gals of Regular GAS & 2000 Gals of High Test! & as I walked to the Office to Get My Paper work! I hread My Name being Called!--HEY! JIM--it was One of the Maintanance Men Way Up on TOP of the HUGE Storage Tank--JIM bring ME Up such & such A Wrench?--I had NO Idea? what? Wrench He was Refering to??-So I grabbed what ever? & Held It UP so HE could See It! & finally YEP! thats the ONE!--I walked a Mile UP those Stairs--& finally reached the TOP--the Tank was HUGE--a Couple of 100 feet in Diamiter--& where HE was Working on a Big PUMP--On Top there was an Opening!--as He Worked I noticed a Huge Light there! about the Size of a 5 Gal Can I picked It UP & Shined it into the TANK--NO Baffels? No Seperations?--is this Regualr? --YEP!--Wheres the HIGH TEST?--Your Looking at IT!--JIM all GAS is REGULAR!-theres NO such Thing as High Test!--only the PRICE at the GAS Pump!--Your KIDDING right? NO! its All the same GAS!--I been working in Fuel bulk Plants for over 30 yrs! as Our CO does the Work for E*M ALL--every BRAND you can MANE--as thes NO Differance in BRANDS as many Oil Cos fill Up here! & He listed many differnt Brands off!--there all the Same GAS!--& He Smiled!--& there ALL REGULAR! as the Next step UP in GAS is Avaition GAS!--used in Aircraft!--which is Shipped directly to AirPorts from the Tanker by TRUCK--WE don*t even see it Here!--Know YOU Know!--I Know YOU all know! --Ole JIM--

Although kinda hard to read, interesting read up I pretty much knew it was like that with some companies claiming their gas is better than others (Shell for example) but I don't bother. Any gas is fine with me as long as it's cheap I don't use the expensive big name brands of antifreeze either and I stick to Valvoline oil which isn't expensive whatsover; hardly over 2 dollars per quart. Nowww my friend on the other hand.. I try and convince him literally every time we hang out not to waste his money on that crap. He goes to Shell every day to fill up and I always tell him dude.. drive a few blocks down and there's a good station for gas that's much cheaper. Nope, can't convince him, stubborn as hell sometimes..

Although kinda hard to read, interesting read up I pretty much knew it was like that with some companies claiming their gas is better than others (Shell for example) but I don't bother. Any gas is fine with me as long as it's cheap I don't use the expensive big name brands of antifreeze either and I stick to Valvoline oil which isn't expensive whatsover; hardly over 2 dollars per quart. Nowww my friend on the other hand.. I try and convince him literally every time we hang out not to waste his money on that crap. He goes to Shell every day to fill up and I always tell him dude.. drive a few blocks down and there's a good station for gas that's much cheaper. Nope, can't convince him, stubborn as hell sometimes..

Don*t feel BAD--as I have told every one that I know! & they still Buy High Test?--& Prestone & Zerex Stupid--but Hell its their MONEY! & w/ every One now Days in Compatition to have every thing they can Get? Material Wise!--I just LAUGH & Go about my Own Business!--as a FOOL & His Money are Soon Parted!--a QUOTE from a Millionire-- as TODAY No One Beleives the TRUTH when they Do Hear it?--but They Swallow LIES like Kids Eat Fast Food--I DONO?? --Ole JIM--

Some of the text formatting issues come from using WebTV instead of a computer. Also, I'm not sure if our spellchecker works on WebTV.

Here's the story, with formatting fixed:

Quote:

I'm an OLE guy, "Ole Jim", a retired long haul trucker. Here's some facts I have learned in my life time.

Yrs ago, I trucked all over this great nation and hauled just about everything there is to be hauled. Here's an example of marketing hype:

I was waiting for a load of anti-freeze to be loaded on my truck. It was late, and I had to wait until morning to be loaded. So, I was walking around and looking at the machinery as it filled the gallon containers -- pretty interesting. One of the bosses asked me if I would like a tour of the facility. Yeah, why not -- and a complete tour I sure got, as I saw many brands being filled and boxed up.

Zerex-Prestone, the high dollar brands, and Peak, and other low-buck brands. As I recall (even back then) Zerex and Prestone were selling at $11.25 a gallon, and Peak (which is what I was using), cost $3.25 a gallon. And here's the facts -- it's all the very same stuff, and the only difference is the coloring added, and the brand container it's poured into. As ethel glyathol (correct spelling?) is colorless (as it looked like Kero syrup to me); a colorless thick liquid that's slippery to the touch.

I touched it. It's a by-product of oil, and yrs ago used to be thrown away. So when you buy the high buck brands that state theirs have special additives that do whatever, that's their marketing hype BS. Plain and simple.

--GASOLINE--
Yrs ago during the winter months I hauled fuel here in Maine for Merril Transportation out of Portland, Maine, so I'd be close to home winters, as a lot of crap usually happens in winter, and I didn't want to be 1000s of miles away when whatever went wrong. I had been hauling fuel for Merril for a few yrs, and got to know everybody I had to deal with. Nice people. One night, I had just loaded 3000 gals of regular gas and 2000 gals of high test. And, as I walked to the office to get my paperwork, I heard my name being called: "Hey Jim!". It was one of the maintenance men way up on top of the huge storage tank. "Hey Jim, bring me up such and such a wrench". I had no idea what wrench he was referring to. So I grabbed whatever and held it up so he could see it. And finally: "Yep, that's the one!".

I walked a mile up those stairs, and finally reached the top (the tank was huge, a couple of hundred feet in diameter). And, where he was working on a big pump, on top there was an opening. As he worked, I noticed a huge light there, about the size of a 5 gal can. I picked it up and shined it into the tank:

"No baffles? No separations? Is this regular?"

"Yep."

"Where's the high test?"

"You're looking at it, Jim. All gas is regular, there's no such thing as high test. Only the price at the gas pump."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, it's all the same gas. I been working in fuel bulk plants for over 30 yrs. As our co does the work for 'em all, every brand you can name, as there's no difference in brands as many oil cos fill up here."

And he listed many different brands off: "They're all the same gas." And he smiled: "And they're all regular, as the next step up in gas is aviation gas, as used in aircraft, which is shipped directly to airports from the tanker by truck. We don't even see it here."

My understanding is that the large holding tanks indeed house the same grade of fuel. The additives ie. cleansers, anti-knock compounds (octane), ect. are blended in after leaving the holding tanks while being pumped into the tanker trailer.

I generally buy my fuel at a Shell station
Why----I am loyal to 2 stations here--they will turn on the pumps when I drive up---I do not have to go in and prepay, and that will get me into the store to buy something else, I do not like the pay-at-the-pump as if I go into the store to buy something--only means twice as much bookkeeping at the end of the day.
I will not shop for fuel---car is thirsty and needs a drink and I am not going to walk.

Cheap gas can burn you, excuse the pun. Case in point: A few years ago in our area there were a large number of cars that all of a sudden quit running after gassing up at a popular cheap gas station. I happened to work with an engineer that was affected by this. His car went into the shop and the engine was torn down. The combustion chamber as well as the pistons and rings were all gummed up with a black tar looking substance. The engine was able to be saved, but it required a complete overhaul. Turns out this cheap gas station was buying gasoline wherever they could and as cheap as they could. The load that caused the problem came from a podunk refinery about 100 miles up the road in east Texas. This was a small privately owned refining operation and it turns out they skipped a few steps in the refining process. Most people who were affected did get some compensation.

Where I live there is generally only about 2 to 3 cents a gallon difference between the cheap brand and the name brands. IMO it is not worth it to me to take the chance. I have been using either Exxon/Mobil or Shell for a long time with zero problems.

My understanding is that the large holding tanks indeed house the same grade of fuel. The additives ie. cleansers, anti-knock compounds (octane), ect. are blended in after leaving the holding tanks while being pumped into the tanker trailer.

suppa roosta--your assuption is correct on all fuel bulk tanks holding the same grade of FUEL! as its all regular--& theres no adding of additives Ect to It while its being pumped into tank trailers! as thats just what I was talking about--marketing HYPE! as in anti-freeze--w/ water pump lubes & I Am Awed by most peope in them not beieiving Me? as marketing HYPE is half truths & out right lies I have often wondered?? why? more big Cos are NOT SUED? as most products they advertise do NOT Do what? they claim their {products will do?} such as get better fuel milage ect--Ole JIM--

Cheap gas can burn you, excuse the pun. Case in point: A few years ago in our area there were a large number of cars that all of a sudden quit running after gassing up at a popular cheap gas station. I happened to work with an engineer that was affected by this. His car went into the shop and the engine was torn down. The combustion chamber as well as the pistons and rings were all gummed up with a black tar looking substance. The engine was able to be saved, but it required a complete overhaul. Turns out this cheap gas station was buying gasoline wherever they could and as cheap as they could. The load that caused the problem came from a podunk refinery about 100 miles up the road in east Texas. This was a small privately owned refining operation and it turns out they skipped a few steps in the refining process. Most people who were affected did get some compensation.

Where I live there is generally only about 2 to 3 cents a gallon difference between the cheap brand and the name brands. IMO it is not worth it to me to take the chance. I have been using either Exxon/Mobil or Shell for a long time with zero problems.

Vince

I should've been more specific when I mentioned cheap gas. I don't mean cheap gas as in the local corner store that happens to have a run down looking station Valero has a pretty decent price compared to Shell which is 30 cents higher per gallon, no thanks. Oh and Bryan when you mentioned what Shell does for you whenever you pull up, completely the opposite here. They neverrr do that. I'm sure they would have more loyal customers like you if they did that.

when I was a young BOY I remember such names of GAS stations such as RICHFIELD w/ the Flying EAGLE --JENNY--CITY SERVICE--AMACO--SCONY VACUME w/the Flying Red Horse--GULF--SHELL--TEXACOw/ the big"T"--SUNOCO--TIDALL--many are GONE in this area Richfeild--Shell--Jenny--gulf & shell are getting harder & harder to find CITCO are mulitiplying Here--EXXON & MOBIL are popular here & theres New Ones poping up--here & there--DIRECT has came & Gone!--Singclare & BP came & went also WE stail have a Huge AMACO bulk Plant--But NO AMACO gas stations?--& when I was a BOY there was only Three that Deliverd Fuel OlL--now theres OIL delivery trucks every where--I drove an Oil delivery truck every winter for Purinton Oil Co--locally Now Gone Wading in SNOW up to my Waist--Now a Path had to Be Cleaned or NO Delivery--& most Oil customers Charged thier Oil--Now its CASH!--& We had Keep filled customers--now You have to Call them w/ CASH in hand & BEG!--I have a Freind that SELLING all his Realestate property many appartment complexes-- & his are NICE--but Hes refered to Locally as the Slum Lord Here!--very un-fair as his are the Best in this Area!--as He claims Heating Oil at near $3.00 a Gallon is the Cause--& here theres a lot of New Car dealers closed up--& others Buying UP every thing--One Local dealer CHARLIES Sells every New Make out--& advertises over 1000 vehicles in Stock as He ownes both sides of whats called Here -CAR ROW!--a Main Drag--Western Ave--several miles of nothing but new & used Vehicles--& O*Connor Motors a HUGE new & used Truck dealer that SELLS every Make New Truck except Peterbuilt & Kenworth--w/ over 100 acres of vehicles--I was there getting parts & they Sell GMC pick Ups--& I drove by 3 to 400 New Pick Ups Door handel to Door handel in Nice neat Rows--& at $18,000 to $50,000 a Pop! so some ones?? making MONEY?--I Guess??--Ole JIM--

Bryan when you mentioned what Shell does for you whenever you pull up, completely the opposite here. They neverrr do that. I'm sure they would have more loyal customers like you if they did that. (classix lover)

Not any Shell--as I live out in the sticks, these are the stations I choose to go to. I make it a point to meet all new employees, and visit with the store help on occaision.

Being on friendly terms and with the store managers knowing that I only get the fuel at their stores (the manager at store #2 used to work at store #1) and also have some fun with them, makes it so they turn on the pumps when either Susan or I pull up.

(I have even forgot my wallet on a full tank before Just called my better half to come pay for it )

I worked at a lot of different companies, one made meat snacks,many different brands,the only difference was the film we put on it.same with medicine,when they fill an order the rest goes into generic labled bottles.I buy Exxon because my son is the manager an I have never had a problem with it. he tries to keep the lowest price in our town, an I do get perks like when gas takes a big jump he calls me an holds off changing the price till I get gas.

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